The decade long reformation of energy trading now looks to be only the opening act of a transformation that Dodd Frank regulation and a newly aggressive – and costly – approach by federal regulators is set to propel into its next stage. Deregulation of energy markets, only partially finished by federal regulators before the collapse… Keep reading →
BP displayed a lack of caution in agreeing to a rather lax set of standards regarding payment for Macondo oil spill claims. “The level of compensation was never capped and the settlement didn’t require proof that losses were caused by the spill.” [Bloomberg] Walgreens is building its first “net-zero energy” store in Illinois. Adding generation capacity… Keep reading →
North America has seen its share of oil spills of late, including an ExxonMobil pipeline leak in Arkansas and a Chevron diesel pipeline leak in Utah, both within the first few months of the year. Canadian Pacific Railway is keeping the trend going. A Canadian Pacific-operated train carrying crude oil from Saskatchewan derailed on Tuesday,… Keep reading →
Appraisal drilling at the massive Leviathan gas field offshore Israel has led to an increase in its estimated resources, but development remains on hold until the country’s government grants approval for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.
The Noble Energy-led consortium developing Leviathan has boosted estimated gross mean resource by a trillion cubic feet (tcf). “We finished an appraisal well in the first quarter at Leviathan, which increased our gross mean resource estimate at the field to 18 tcf,” said Noble Energy Chief Executive Chuck Davidson during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on Thursday. Keep reading →
As nations continue to wrangle over the control, development and transportation of Caspian basin oil and gas resources, recent new discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea have raised the potential conflict level between governments, corporations and other relevant parties. But the discovery of what appear to be substantial natural gas deposits, also presents great opportunity.
“There was some concern a number of months ago about these gas finds off the southern coast of Cyprus… now the US would have to have more of a naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean in order to de-conflict these forces..,” Steven A. Cook, Council on Foreign Relations’ Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies told journalists at a recent roundtable for select media. Keep reading →
Drilling for natural gas in Pennsylvania will continue to expand unabated if a pair of substantial independent energy firms have their way. Noble Energy and CONSOL Energy said today they have a partnership agreement in place that will boost their drilling rigs in the state’s Marcellus Shale from four to sixteen in the next four years.
Noble Energy will pay $1.07 billion for a 50% interest in CONSOL’s 663,350 net undeveloped acres of natural gas properties in Pennsylvania and West Virginia as part of a total deal worth $3.4 billion to CONSOL. Noble will pay development costs up to a $400 million cap each year, with funding linked to the price of natural gas. Noble is paying for the deal out of its cash and currently untouched revolving credit facility. Keep reading →
